The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Fluid retention basins are required to hold liquid waste, sometimes for a limited time and sometimes indefinitely. The types of waste can include animal waste from farms, municipal wastewater, coal ash slurry, and the like. Many of the basins have clay liners (bottoms) or other impermeable liners such as plastic (e.g. high density polyethylene or polyvinylchloride). It is important to regularly test these liners to ensure that the fluid is not migrating through the clay at an acceptable rate, or in the case of an impermeable liner that there isn't a breach in the liner.
These liner tests are done using apparatuses and methods which gauge the surface level change of the basin over time and compare that with an estimated or measured level change that is due to evaporation or other environmental factors. To do the tests, the basin must be in a static condition. That is, no influent or effluent is allowed.